The Justice Department is preparing to sue Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio, known internationally as "America's toughest sheriff," saying talks between the two sides have fallen through.

The Obama administration and Arpaio's Maricopa County Sheriff's Office had been in the midst of settlement talks, after the Justice Department accused it of systematically discriminating against Latinos.

As part of the settlement, the department wanted Arpaio to allow an independent monitor to oversee reforms at his office. The Justice Department called it a "key, non-negotiable requirement."

The two sides were scheduled to meet Wednesday, but Arpaio called off the meeting at the last minute, the Justice Department said.

"We believe that you are wasting time and not negotiating in good faith," said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Roy Austin Jr. in a letter Arpaio's legal counsel.

It added: "MCSO's refusal to engage in good faith negotiations requires us to prepare for civil action."

Arpaio shot back, saying he would not "surrender" his officer to the federal government.

"Appointment of an outside monitor essentially usurps the powers and duties of an elected Sheriff and transfers them to a person or group of persons selected by the federal government," he said in a statement Tuesday.

"And so to the Obama administration, who is attempting to strong arm me into submission only for its political gain, I say, 'This will not happen, not on my watch!'"

soundoff(26 Responses)

America is in deep financial debt, facing a potential double dip recession and incredible, prolonged unemployment â€“ the Obama Administration apparently feels the best way to use its resources is to sue states. The DOJ has filed suit against three (3) states, Arizona, Alabama and South Carolina over each stateâ€™s immigration laws. They are also considering additional suits against Utah, Georgia and Indiana. Each of the six states have enacted strict legislation allowing state, local and city law enforcement officers to enforce both federal and state immigration laws. In addition to lawsuits with the 28 states regarding Obama Care, and 3 for immigration laws (with the other 3 in the wings) â€“ the DOJ is also suing Louisiana and California. The suit filed against Louisiana claims that various state agencies (such as the unemployment, welfare and food stamp offices) do not offer sufficient voter registration forms to the people collecting these types of benefits. DOJ alleges this is in violation of the Naturalized Voter Registration Act. The California lawsuit filed against Governor Jerry Brown claims religious discrimination against an inmate. The inmate states that growing an â€śunshorn beardâ€ť is part of his Sikh faith and he was forced to shave it off. California jails and prisons do not allow inmates to have facial hair so they cannot change their appearance. It is a safety issue, not a religious one. During a time that America is so strapped for cash that it borrows 4 million dollars per day from foreign sources â€“ it is ironic that the Department of Justice and the Obama Administration continues to spend whatever amount of money it sees fit to sue one state after another. Never in American history has any Administration or Justice Department been involved in at least 33 lawsuits against states or citizens (26 of these involved Obamacare)

Sheriff Joe broke the first law of Obamaland. He spoke out against Obama's immigration policies and questioned Obama's eligibility top be President. Whether or not you believe the "birther", this is STILL America and he has the right to speak. So now Obama's retaliation and smear campaign begins.

Once again lets fix something thats not broken. If the prisoners hadnt of brok the law in the first place the wouldnt be there. Is prison supposed to be easy? It a time out for violators hes done a good job and has found a way to cut costs.

Despite what many on here have said already and what this sheriff thinks; racially motivated crimes or violations of civil liberties are in the Federal Jurisdiction for a reason. This is so a single state, despite the beliefs of its people, can never disregard civil liberty laws. This has been happening for a LONG time... Eisenhower, JFK, Johnson... To name a few and the list goes on.

Joe Arpio for president. He cares for this nation and is only following the laws of our land. The Federal government is letting the foreigners take our nation. Leave him alone and when we vote for president put his name in as a write in.

bannsy (what ever) It should be obvious what I was referring to – illegals of course. My family came in through Ellis Island and were charted and checked for disease.. They were invited to America and told to learn the language. They did not expect others to take care of them through freebees. Got it?

The Department of Justice and especially the Civil Rights division are the president's secret police, like the Nazi Gestapo or Soviet political commisars, enforcing correct adherance to political correctness. Forty nine nee grows shoot each other in Chicago St Patrick's weekend, deafening silnce from the federal govt. One kid shot in Sanford, FL, and a dozen GS13s making $120,000/year are swarming all over it. These are political henchmen.

How insane is it that your government is not only intentionally willfully derelict in stymying an invasion from the south, but is actively attacking through courts and now this move anyone who tries to do any immigration enforcement at all.

Just say it, Obama: "Ethnic Spaniard Mexicans, ethnically cleanse your overpopulated indian and mestizo Mexicans into the US so I can give them amnesty and welfare and make them good democrat voters."

Racism. Darwin's theory of natural selection (survival of the fittest) led to Nietzsche's theory of Uebermensch (procreation should be controlled to improve the species) which led to Nazism (Nordic Aryans are the pinnacle of human evolution). Then the 1940s excesses of Nazism led to 1960s hippies saying "Nobody's better or worse, we're all the same, all equal, unicorn and rainbows." Of course, egalitarian theory (That would be you) was wrong at its inception and has been wrong every day since.

If you're too oblivious to observe bonafide characteristics, traits, and patterns of population groups in the year 2012, your judgment is broken beyond repair. The fallacy of egalitarianism barrages us daily, but you will not accept facts that conflict with your theory. Call it "racism" if it makes you feel righteous and fair. You have the right to an opinion, but all opinions are not equal. The value of an opinion derives from mastery of the facts and a sound analytical process. Your "racism" aspersions are a loud and clear signal that you are happily oblivious, so I can overlook your useless opinion.

@banasy, you didnâ€™t offend me. You offend yourself if you had enough sense to realize it. You sound like a babbling parrot repeating what youâ€™ve been told. Youâ€™re really irritating as the self-anointed political correctness police of the blog. With at best an average IQ and having attended public education and consumed pop culture mass media your whole life, I can understand your difficulty surmounting the correct indoctrination youâ€™ve received and climbing out of the rut youâ€™re in.

Socrates admonished that the life unexamined is not worth living, so as dim as the prospect might be try some genuine inquiry instead of knee-jerk blah blah leftist rhetoric. Remember the dumb peasants that ran around for Vladimir Lenin in the Communist Revolution which he called â€śuseful idiotsâ€ť? Thatâ€™s you. Itâ€™s a pejorative term used to describe people perceived as propagandists for a cause whose goals they do not understand, who are used cynically by the leaders of the cause.

This is probably the most help youâ€™ve had in a long time. No charge, pro grata. Good luck with your life.

This sheriff thinks he is God. He threatens and follows judges and elected officials that don't agree with him. he will do anything to get his picture on the news. This man is very scary for many citizens, who do not agree with him. Officiers follow lawyers, judges and elected persons home. If he does that to them just imagine what he does to the poor immigrants. (And race doesn't exist. There are more difference in the DNA within groups then between so called races.)

Not only have illegal invaders slit the throats of the working man they are responsible for 75% of the crime here in denver radioreference dot com monitor police and ems frequencies for yourself they must have killed 250000Americans in the last 50 years look at lapd online all most wanted 95% spanic. I knew newt was the sh samich. I dont care if an illegal sailed with washington , REMOVE THEM! The states want the laws ENFORCED PERIOD! Theyll bankrupt EVERY STATE! LOOK AT CALIFORNIA FOR GOD SAKE! Mehico is a cultural catastrophe and our govt has helped them spread their societal ills across our great nation. We would have the highest standard of living on earth if it wasnt for the constant stranglehold on our economy due to the invasion and occupation of our soverign land. Look noone wants to break up families just be sure to get them all on the same bus with the anchor offspring seated up front. What about all the american families torn apart by the federal invasion policy in effect. The

If Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya and all the other wars that we have been in that were not authorized by congress as per the LAW. Then I must assume that the war on terror and the war on drugs are very real wars also. Having said that then why is it that Eric Benedict Holder is not being prosecuted for adding and abetting the enemy???
Demand that there should be a full and complete disclosure on where all the 450 million rounds of ammunitions are being held at all times on the grounds that Erick Holder cannot be trusted and has already added the enemy.

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